As of February 19, 2022, restrictions due to Covid-19 no longer apply when entering Slovenia. Tourism in Slovenia is restarting almost without restrictions, the only thing that remains is, the need to wear protective mask in closed places. According to the UNWTO predictions, we will travel for various reasons, including to support tourism. The situation with the Coronavirus in Croatia is also under control and the country is open.
In this blog we will try to summarize the restrictions and requirements for travel to Slovenia and Croatia (restrictions, current situation, dos and don’ts…). Further down you can read why these countries are your safest option for traveling after coronavirus and what can you expect in the near future of traveling.
Current situation with Covid-19 in Slovenia and Coronavirus in Croatia
TRAVEL TO SLOVENIA
As of February 19, 2022, restrictions due to Covid-19 no longer apply when entering Slovenia.
This means that the VRT (vaccinated/recovered//tested) condition no longer has to be fulfilled at the border and also in the industry, trade, tourism (hotels, bars, restaurants) and other service activities and travelers will no longer be ordered to stay in quarantine at home. Except in the case of hospitals, social care and prisons, it will no longer be necessary to show any proof of Covid (vaccinated, recovered, tested).
However, the need to wear protective masks in enclosed areas, hand disinfection, interpersonal distance and room ventilation is still maintained.
Since the risk of COVID-19 infection is still present, it is recommended that, when planning travel abroad, you monitor the epidemiological situation along the planned route. For any further information, we can be reached at ➨ info@ekorna.net.
So, if you want to visit Slovenia or some other Balkan country contact us at info@ekorna.net. If you travel with us you can be sure that, being a local travel agency, we will help you organize everything and book the trip that will allow you to arrive and immediately start enjoying your holidays. If you are traveling on your own, check with your embassy or the the updated information on the official Slovenian Government website.
CURRENT SITUATION WITH CORONAVIRUS IN CROATIA
The strategy to combat the coronavirus in Croatia puts on the priority vaccination list also tourism workers in order to ensure maximum safety in the high season and so that tourists can calmly enjoy the beauties of the Adriatic.
From April 1, 2021 Croatia has opened for tourism, but there are different restrictions and requirements.
Passengers coming directly from countries and / or regions of the Schengen Area and Schengen associated countries, and who are currently on the so-called green list of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, regardless of their citizenship, will be allowed entry to Croatia under the same conditions as before the onset of the disease COVID-19 if they show no signs of illness and have not been in close contact with an infected person.
All other passengers arriving to Croatia from EU/EEA member states/regions, and who are not currently on the green list of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, must present one of the following documents:
- Negative PCR test or rapid antigen test – RAT on SARS-CoV-2, where the RAT test must be included in the common list of rapid antigen tests recognized by the Member States of the European Union, published by the European Commission. If the RAT test results were performed abroad, the manufacturer and/or trade name of the test must be visible and the test must be issued by a health institution/laboratory and signed/confirmed by a physician.
Otherwise, it will not be accepted as credible to enter Croatia. The above test results must be no more than 48 hours old (counted from the time of swabbing to arrival at the border) and, in the case of a rapid antigen test and a stay longer than 10 days in Croatia, the test must be repeated within ten days from the date of issuance of such test; - Certificate of vaccination for persons who received a second dose of COVID-19 vaccine more than 14 days prior to entry into Croatia. Exceptionally, in the case of a vaccine received in a single dose, a certificate of vaccination with a single dose if the dose was received more than 14 days before crossing the border;
- If a person has recovered from COVID-19 and has a medical certificate or a positive PCR or rapid antigen test (RAT) and has been vaccinated with at least one dose of vaccine after recovery, the exemption from presenting a negative PCR or rapid antigen test – RAT or self-isolation is extended until five (5) months after vaccination;
- Presentation of positive PCR or rapid antigen test, confirming that the passenger recovered from SARS-CoV-2 virus infection, which was performed within the previous 180 days, and with more than 11 days from the date of arrival in Croatia upon presentation of a certificate of recovery issued by a physician;
- or perform a PCR test or a rapid antigen test on SARS-CoV-2 immediately upon arrival in Croatia (at your own expense), with the obligation to remain in self-isolation until the arrival of a negative test result. If testing cannot be performed, a self-isolation measure is determined for a period of 10 days.
Third World country nationals may enter Croatia only in cases of necessary travel or travel for tourist purposes and have a proof of paid accommodation in a hotel or other form of tourist accommodation or rented boat or own houses or boats in Croatia: entry to Croatia will be allowed upon presentation of one of the documents listed for EU/EEA member countries.
Protective masks are mandatory throughout the country in public transportation, medical facilities, shops, malls and every other public place where face to face contact is required between employees and clients such as banks, post office, ministry counters, public notary, currency exchange, services that require close contact (hairdressers, salons, etc.).
So if you want to visit Croatia or some other Balkan country contact us at info@ekorna.net. If you travel with us you can be sure that, being a local travel agency, we will help you organize everything and book the trip that will allow you to arrive and immediately start enjoying your holidays. Hotels were never closed by state decree, they were closed due to lack of visits and other sanitary restrictions. At the moment the majority of the hotels and campsites are open normally.
If you are traveling on your own, check with your embassy or the the updated information on the official Croatian Government website.
So, with some restrictions it is already possible to travel to Slovenia or visit Croatia. You can already enjoy a hike in the Julian Alps or scuba dive in the Adriatic, in one of the Dalmatian islands. Or try the latest luxurious trend – slow travel.
Little by little we are returning to a “normal life” that will never be the same again and what awaits us is a different normality from the one we already know. With joy, happiness, hope and fear.
These are our promises:
Slovenia, Croatia and other Balkan countries have a pandemic under control. These are tourist countries but a little bit off the beaten path and with many deserted but beautiful places.
As a local agency we are closely monitoring the situation and we will react immediately if anything changes, taking care of your safety during the trip.
We offer tailor-made private trips that allow you to travel alone with a personal guide and you can stay away from other people.
The cheapest option, however, is traveling in small groups that are more economical than private trips. We offer group tours but with the possibility of adapting to the current situation.
You are not comfortable traveling to very touristy places right now? It is ok, us neither…
We offer unique and special programs that will take you out of the typical European destinations. Get to know the pearls of the Balkans that offer everything – nature, history, sea, mountains and great food.
If you don’t yet want to start traveling, don’t worry. We have many dates and programs until the end of the year. Both privately and in escorted small groups.
Travel in the summer on a private cruise, travel in October to see the vineyards, or in December to enjoy the Christmas markets.
We will organize everything. Transportation, hotels, the guide (possible in many different languages), visits… Your safety and well-being are the most important thing for us.
We will find healthier, safer, more photogenic and the most interesting places so that your trip of this chaotic year will be nothing less than perfect.
Don’t let panic win. Don’t let it transform your life.
The Balkans is one of the destinations with the fewest infections and we will take care that you stay safe because we want you to keep traveling with us for many more years to come.
Obviously, many people are facing it with fear, but respecting the measures and with a little care everything will turn out well. And, the trips will also return. We all know that tourism is one of the most affected sectors and that it will take a long time to recover. However, as several experts already say: “Humanity will not stop traveling, but it will modify its consumption behaviors. Fear paralyzes and isolates, but there is also a powerful awareness of freedom that drives us to defy any obstacle to exercise it. ” (Durrieu, M., Santos, G.)
Here we share the reasons why we will travel in the future (according to OMT):
- For the solidarity that we are witnessing around the world.
- To learn about different cultures and return home enriched.
- To support tourism-related employment as a sector that reaches all levels of society.
- To drive development and promote sustainability.
- For the opportunities that the discovery of the world around us will bring.
Tourism after the Coronavirus in Croatia and Slovenia
First, it is important that the agency takes care of all measures to ensure safety and comply with sanitary regulations. At the EKORNA travel agency, we will follow all the rules that will be established and will guarantee the required space between passengers, traveling in buses or vans and we will take into account the other requests of those who want to travel to Croatia or Slovenia.
Being a country where it can get quite cold, Slovenia is not usually a winter destination, but it can be. Traveling to Slovenia in winter is quite a different experience. Many, in their lives, have experienced the cold that they will be able to experience in Slovenia in December or January. The months of December, January and February are considered low season and traveling around Slovenia in low season can also be cheaper. Another of the conveniences to visit Slovenia in the colder months.
Croatia, on the other hand, tends to have a milder climate, but don’t trust it, it can also snow in Dubrovnik 🙂 But, like any other country, Croatia in winter is also full of charms. For example, its capital, Zagreb, was chosen several times as the city with the best Christmas market in Europe.
What types of trips will EKORNA offer after the Coronavirus in Croatia and Coronavirus in Slovenia?
We imagine that there will still be people opting for classic group tours (guaranteed departures), as well as traveling in smaller groups, so that there is more distance between passengers on buses, which will be one of the priorities of EKORNA Travel.
On the other hand, there may be more travelers opting for private travel, looking for additional value: gastronomy trips, transformational trips, luxury trips…
In the future, different types of travel could become popular: private trips, with additional value. Among them, supposedly dual trips, in which two different destinations will be combined into a single trip – nothing better than a trip through Slovenia and Croatia or a visit to Croatia and Montenegro. Or, visit a unique country where you would spend part of the trip in a mountainous location, before moving to a seaside location. Again, Slovenia is a perfect destination for it.
Travel will return after Coronavirus in Croatia & Coronavirus in Slovenia
More and more travellers are looking to reduce the impact of their visits and that is why more and more are looking for under-sold cities and destinations: the Balkans are just that. A paradise, still not often visited, with relatively good infrastructure for travelling by car in peace.
Until now we have struggled with the lack of time to make long routes and we believe that this situation will continue. For this reason, short trips of several days will be important. Slovenia is a perfect country to take a 5 day trip or a 3 day getaway.
On the other hand, more importance will be given to travelling without hurrying. Do less and enjoy more time, instead of running to visit as much as possible. Leave something to visit at another time. Longer trips will be sought with itineraries focused on places of tranquility. Travelling through Slovenia and Croatia calmly, you can relax and when you return, you don’t need a vacation from a vacation, as often happens.
You’ll find it all after Covid-19 in Slovenia
It is assumed that the hotels that have lost in recent years, against Airbnb accommodations and other cheaper types, will be searched again, as passengers will seek more security, hygiene guarantees and possibilities of responses in emergencies. Slovenia is not considered one of the massive places like Paris, London, Madrid and will surely enter the list of who wants to travel to the less frequented places, as well as the other Balkan countries.
Everything indicates that we are going towards a more sustainable tourism: with more ecological transport and mobility; less crowded accommodation and closer to the natural environment. Nothing better than Slovenia to visit it; you can enjoy in everything above.
We have all been surprised by the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequences go far beyond our imaginations. The world has stopped and is slowly recovering, but the road will be long. We have learned that tourism is going to be the most affected, however, the improvement in the general situation allows us to think positively about tourism as well.
The Corona virus in Slovenia is already leading us to mount new types of trips: in smaller groups, without rushing to see the places. Slovenia is one of the countries that is best controlling the situation and being less visited in general, surely it will be among the first destinations to visit once it is possible to travel. The situation of the Coronavirus in Croatia is under control and you can already imagine the places you would visit, so that when you can really do it, nothing escapes you. At EKORNA Travel you will find more ideas and all the assistance you need.
Contact us for more information, we are here for you.
